Pork Tenderloin Stir-fry

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 small head cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 can bean sprouts, drained
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 TBS soy sauce
• hot, cooked rice

Directions:

1. Start with a preheated deep skillet or wok. Stir-fry the sliced pork in hot oil until no longer pink.
2. Add mushrooms, onions, and peas: continuing to stir-fry for 3-5 minutes.
3. Add cabbage, bean sprouts, garlic, ginger, and sugar. Stir-fry for 5-10 minutes.
4. Stir in soy sauce.
5. Serve over hot prepared rice.

Hint: My teenagers cooked this meal for our family. From assembling the ingredients, to prepping the vegetables, to reading and following the recipe directions. Get your family involved in the kitchen! It is good for them, (and you too)!

Seafood Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb cooked shrimp, peeled & deveined
2 (6 oz) can crab meat, drained & flaked
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
4 TBS butter, divided
1 large white onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (4 oz) can mushrooms, drained
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 hot sauce
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or colby blend)
1 cup butter crackers, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Gather all needed ingredients and utensils.
2. Combine the cream cheese with 2 TBS of butter in a small sauce pan over low heat, stirring until smooth.
3. In a separate large skillet: saute onion, celery, and green pepper in 2 TBS butter until tender.
4. Add the smooth cream cheese mix to the sauteed vegetables in the large skillet, mixing well. Add shrimp, crab meat, cream of mushroom soup, drained mushrooms, garlic powder, hot sauce, cayenne, and cooked rice. Mix well.
5. Transfer combined ingredients to a prepared (use cooking spray) baking dish.
6. Mix crushed butter crackers with shredded cheese. Cover the mixture in the baking dish with the crushed cracker and cheese blend.
7. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until center reaches 165 degrees F.
8. (Best served hot.)

Hints: I was first introduced to this dish at a work potluck dinner. The cook used seafood paella mix instead of only shrimp and crab meat. I prefer that combination, but my boys do not. (I'm sure it's a visual thing - but whatever.) Another way to up the nutritional value is to substitute wild rice for the regular white rice. Definitely, definitely one of my all time favorites!!

*Also linked up to Food on Friday over at Carole's Chatter - go check it out!!*

Pesto Chicken Pizzas

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• pizza crust (home made or store bought)
• 1 cup diced, cooked chicken
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 1 can (2 1/4 oz) slice ripe olives, drained
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. (Making the pesto.) In a blender: combine the cilantro, parsley, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and garlic cloves. Cover and blend well. Once fully processed, add olive oil in a steady stream while continuing to blend.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
3. Place pizza crust on prepared baking sheet. Top pizza crust with about pesto, spreading with the back of a spoon.
4. Next, sprinkle with chicken, tomatoes, olives, and cheese.
5. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes - or until cheese is melted.

Hint: The original recipe called for flour tortillas as the crust - that is my favorite pizza crust! We had been traveling all day and I didn't realize we didn't have any tortillas. Apparently our oldest thinks flour tortillas make great late night snacks...Any whoo... In 15 minutes I prepared a home made crust (recipe to follow). Being flexible in the kitchen can be very rewarding! Another way to save time would be to substitute prepared pesto sauce - instead of making it from scratch. Enjoy!!

I'm sharing this recipe at A Little Nosh for the Tastetastic Thursday 4/19 party - go see what other great ideas are being shared!!

Southwestern Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 (4 oz) can green chilies
• 4 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 3/4 lb pork sausage
• 8 slices Pepper Jack cheese
• 8 hamburger buns, split & toasted
• 8 lettuce leaves
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 1-2 ripe avocados, peeled & sliced
• optional mayo or mustard

Directions:

1. Combine in a large mixing bowl: green chilies, ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, ground beef, and pork sausage. Mix well.
2. Shape into hamburger patties.
3. Grill on a preheated grill, covered - over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side. Internal meat temperature should reach 160 degrees F.
4. After cooking both sides of each hamburger, top burgers with 1 slice of Pepper Jack cheese. Cook uncovered for an additional 2 minutes so cheese can melt.
5. Serve on toasted buns with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and your choice of mayo or mustard.

This recipe is being shared on What's New Wednesday (5) over at Grateful Belly - AND - Whimsy Wednesdays over at The NY Melrose Family, go see what everyone else is sharing!!

Mandarin-Cashew Salad

Ingredients:

• 12 cups of your favorite lettuce (or blend) torn
• 2 (11 oz) cans of mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped
• 1 cup honey roasted cashews

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1 TBS lime juice
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp salt
• dash white pepper

Directions:

1. In a large salad bowl, layer the lettuce, green pepper, celery, red onion, mandarin oranges, and roasted cashews.
2. In a separate small bowl, or large measuring cup - mix the vegetable oil, honey, ground mustard, lime juice, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Drizzle dressing over layered salad, just prior to serving.

This recipe is linked up at the Old Fashioned Recipe Exchange over at Little House on the Prairie Living - go visit and link up your favorite recipe too!

Savory Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup, uncooked long grain rice

4 TBS butter or margarine

1/2 large white onion, sliced

1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained

*house seasoning* optional

3 TBS soy sauce

Directions:

1 - Prepare rice as directed by package instructions. (We use a rice cooker: 1 cup rice + 2 1/8 cups water.)

2 - In a deep skillet, melt butter or margarine and add sliced onions and sliced mushrooms.

3 - As onions begin to become transparent, add house seasoning if desired.

4 - Combine cooked rice to sauteed vegetables, then mix in soy sauce.

5 - Ready to serve - enjoy!!

Hint: Our version of house seasoning. is a shaker filled with equal parts ground black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and red pepper - used sparingly. Yes, a little goes a long way. We eat a lot of rice in our house and tonight I just needed to mix it up a bit, this recipe turned out beautifully! One of our children will not touch mushrooms, so I made sure to carefully portion him a serving without mushrooms. Poor guy doesn't know what he's missing!!

Curried Beef Kabobs

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 bay leaves
• 16 whole peppercorns (I subbed 2 tsp ground black pepper)
• 2 lbs. beef tenderloin, cut into 1 1/4 inch cubes
• 2 large green peppers, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 3 medium onions, cut into wedges

Directions:

1. Combine olive oil, beef broth, lemon juice, garlic, curry powder, salt, bay leaves, and peppercorns to create marinade for beef cubes. Reserve 2/3 cup for basting, and refrigerate.
2. Add beef cubes to main marinade mix in a covered dish or resealable bag. Turn to ensure beef is fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
3. Prior to assembling kabobs, drain and discard marinade from beef cubes. Prepare kabobs on metal or soaked wooden skewers by alternating beef cubes, tomatoes, green peppers, and onions.
4. Grill or broil on high heat 3 minutes on each side. Baste with reserved marinade.
5. Continue cooking on high heat, turning and basting for 10-12 minutes - or until meat reaches desired doneness. (medium = 160 degrees F, well-done = 175 degrees F)

Hint: I think this may be my favorite new recipe - even me, the non beef fan...loved this dish! (Although, I am equally sure that it would be great using chicken too!) As it turns out, our propane for our grill ran out as we getting ready to put these on the grill - so we used the broiler in our kitchen oven to cook these delicious kabobs. The only complaint from my kids, why did I make more... I hope your family enjoys them as much as we did!!

This recipe is being shared at Everyday Mom's Meals for Church Supper #35. If you haven't stopped by to check at a Church Supper - please do! This is a great exchange of wonderful recipes!!